Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 14

Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone will run down the recommended waiver wire pickups.

Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. FAAB bids are set off a $100 budget. Only players owned in less than 60 percent of leagues are considered.

Fantasy Podcast: Week 13 takeaways, early look at waiver wire

Quarterbacks

Dak Prescott, Cowboys

Prescott followed up his best outing of the year with a quieter fantasy day against the Saints last Thursday. But that display had more to do with New Orleans' defensive improvement than it did with Prescott, who has put up the eighth-most fantasy points among quarterbacks since Amari Cooper's arrival. The Eagles are in the bottom 10 when it comes to defending passing attacks; Prescott threw for 270 yards and found the end zone twice when these two teams met in Week 10. Consider him a low-end QB1 this week.

Jameis Winston, Buccaneers

In an extremely shocking turn of events, Winston hasn't given up the ball in either of his last two contests. Turnovers were the main issue plaguing his performance; if he can continue to protect the rock he might win back some of our trust. You can never be completely comfortable starting Winston in fantasy - especially against an increasingly stingy Saints defense - but this game's projected point total of 57 raises his already enticing ceiling. Just be mindful of the risk-reward of having him in your lineup.

Other options: Baker Mayfield vs. CAR (59 percent owned), Lamar Jackson at KC (46 percent owned), Josh Allen vs. NYJ (5 percent owned), Ryan Tannehill vs. NE (6 percent owned)

Running Backs

Jaylen Samuels, Steelers

Samuels was a player I highlighted in the offseason due to Le'Veon Bell's potential holdout. I liked his diverse skill set and was intrigued by his dual eligibility as an RB and TE in Yahoo leagues. With Bell deciding to take the year off and James Conner already ruled out for Week 14 with an ankle sprain, Samuels will finally get his chance to start. The Steelers' starting running back has been an endless source of fantasy points regardless of the name on the jersey. Samuels will be ranked as a high-end RB2, giving you an astronomical advantage where you can play him as a tight end.

Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers

With everything on the line at this point in the season, you have to be aggressive with your waiver wire bids. That means using the No. 1 priority if you have it or maxing out to get a player you think can make a difference in your starting lineup. Wilson saw an unexpected workload Sunday after his starter was injured. Matt Breida aggravated his ankle injury in warmup and again later in the game, so Wilson ended up seeing 23 touches in a relief performance and totaled 134 yards from scrimmage. Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Breida won't play in Week 14, vaulting Wilson into the RB2 conversation as a potential surprise fantasy star.

Justin Jackson, Chargers

With Melvin Gordon sidelined, Austin Ekeler led the Chargers' backfield with 49 snaps while Jackson saw the field on just 14 offensive plays. But the seventh-round rookie outshined Ekeler in almost every way, finishing with 82 yards and a touchdown on nine touches; Ekeler struggled to solve the stout Steelers run defense, ending the day with 43 scoreless yards on 18 touches. Gordon will likely miss at least one more week and it's against a Bengals defense giving up the most fantasy points to running backs. Ekeler should have more success this time out but Jackson has earned more work. With such an easy opponent, we might see both backs end up as top-30 options.

LeGarrette Blount, Lions

Until Kerryon Johnson returns to practice, this is Blount's backfield. The veteran has done his part the last two games, amassing 35 carries for 149 yards, one catch for 15 yards, and two touchdowns. Those numbers came against the Bears and Rams, far more challenging opponents than this week's adversary in the Cardinals. Arizona has permitted a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns in 2018. This is also a favorable matchup for Theo Riddick (56 percent owned), who has at least 58 yards from scrimmage in his last two contests. Blount will be an upside RB3 while Riddick remains a bankable PPR asset.

Chris Thompson, Redskins

On Monday night we got our first look at Thompson since he went on the shelf after Week 8. Adrian Peterson remained the lead back but Thompson brings an added dimension to the backfield. Remember, he posted 128 yards and then 93 yards in the first two games of the year. In Week 14 he gets a Giants defense that's been very generous to opposing backs; the dynamic Tarik Cohen collected 186 yards from scrimmage against New York this past Sunday. Losing both Alex Smith and Colt McCoy is a major knock on the Washington offense but Thompson is still a flex play with matchup-based upside.

Other options: Rex Burkhead at MIA (24 percent owned), Gio Bernard at LAC (24 percent owned), Rashaad Penny vs. MIN (30 percent owned), Ty Montgomery at KC (13 percent owned), Jalen Richard vs. PIT (39 percent owned), Royce Freeman at SF (49 percent owned), Nyheim Hines at HOU (26 percent owned), Kenneth Dixon at KC (11 percent owned), Wayne Gallman at WAS (1 percent owned), Malcolm Brown at CHI (12 percent owned), Charcandrick West vs. BAL (0 percent owned)

Wide Receivers

Chris Godwin/Adam Humphries, Buccaneers

With DeSean Jackson inactive, Godwin went off for 101 yards and a touchdown. That's the third time D-Jax has been out of the lineup over the last two years and Godwin was equally dangerous in the other two contests with stat lines of 3-98 and 7-111-1. Perhaps the Buccaneers' coaching staff should take the hint. If Jackson stays sidelined, Godwin will be a borderline WR2 the rest of the way. Humphries has been consistent for a while now, with 50 yards in seven of his last eight contests, while averaging a touchdown per game over his last five appearances. He should be treated as a WR3 in this high-powered Tampa passing attack.

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

Sutton has shown up on this list for far too long. The Broncos rookie has 50 yards or a touchdown in eight of his last nine games and is coming off his best performance as a pro, hauling in four passes for 85 yards and a score. Hopefully, that will be the catalyst for his ownership to clear the 60 percent threshold. He'll be in the WR3 range with WR2 upside each week thanks to some excellent matchups over the final month.

Tre'Quan Smith, Saints

Whether he returned too early from his foot injury or was just shut out by the Cowboys' secondary, Smith failed to dent the box score last Thursday. His best games have come at home, so another road contest is worrisome, though his opponents - the Buccaneers - are not. After this week, the Saints will engage in two more potentially high-scoring affairs during the fantasy playoffs, as they take on the Panthers and Steelers. Smith is a volatile WR4 with a massive ceiling and a zero-catch floor; the kind of player you might turn to if you're a significant underdog.

Dante Pettis, 49ers

Pettis is yet another rookie who's been heating up in recent weeks. He's benefitted from Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon sitting out, resulting in a four-catch, 77-yard, one-touchdown day versus the Bucs and a five-catch, 129-yard, two-score afternoon in Seattle on Sunday. Pettis didn't get as much hype as some of the other rookies in his class, but the second-rounder is showing he belongs in the starting lineup. As long as the veterans remain on the sidelines, Pettis will be a WR3 in fantasy.

Antonio Callaway, Browns

If you want to own a piece of the rising Browns offense, Callaway is one way to invest. He’s overcoming his early-season rookie mistakes and taking on a larger role. After delivering 62 yards and a score in Week 12, he put up a season-high 84 yards on the Texans. Callaway can be viewed as an explosive WR4/flex option.

Other options: Josh Doctson vs NYG (14 percent owned), Curtis Samuel aat CLE (18 percent owned), Mike Williams vs. CIN (48 percent owned), Tyrell Williams vs. CIN (38 percent owned), Anthony Miller vs. LAR (34 percent owned), Zay Jones vs. NYJ (2 percent owned), Michael Gallup vs. PHI (6 percent owned), Kenny Stills at NE (30 percent owned), DeVante Parker at NE (10 percent owned), John Ross at LAC (9 percent owned)

Tight Ends

Rhett Ellison, Giants

There's not much out there for tight end-needy owners. If Evan Engram (59 percent owned) is able to return from his hamstring injury, I'd bid heavily to get him. Otherwise, you're looking at dart throws like Ellison, who has 119 yards over the last two weeks, but can't be used with confidence. That's where we're at with the tight end - backups like Anthony Firkser, Levine Toilolo, or Demetrius Harris found their way into the top 10 this week.

Ian Thomas, Panthers

Greg Olsen is done for the year after suffering a torn plantar fascia in Sunday's game. In his absence, Thomas stepped up by catching all five of his targets for 46 yards. Thomas was a disappointment when Olsen was out of the lineup earlier in the season, but perhaps the rookie will be a little more seasoned down the stretch. He'll be ranked in the same range as several of the names below, all of whom are streamers at best.

Other options: Mark Andrews at KC (2 percent owned), Jonnu Smith at JAX (23 percent owned), Chris Herndon at BUF (13 percent owned), C.J. Uzomah at LAC (26 percent owned), Dan Arnold at TB (1 percent owned)